Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a vehicle seat comprising a pad of a seat cushion and/or of a backrest and a massage device.
Such a vehicle seat is for example known from the Mercedes-Benz S class (series W221). Seven massage chambers and four programs are thereby provided, which furnish a stimulation of the back musculature with a rolling movement.
German Patent Document No. DE 10242760 A1 discloses a further vehicle seat, where cushion-like elements are provided, which can be pressurized individually via a control unit. In this manner, a static contour of a seat is defined or can be adjusted on the one hand, and different massage functions can be realized by the application of elements on the other hand.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a vehicle seat with which a larger relaxation effect or a comforting effect can be achieved.
In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a vehicle seat comprises a pad of a seat cushion and/or of a backrest, which comprises a massage device with a plurality of pressurizable elements, which are integrated into the pad for influencing the contour of the seat and which respectively can be actuated separately, and with a control device for controlling the massage device, wherein a seat climate control can be controlled using the control device in addition to the massage device. The connection of the massage device to the seat climate control results in a higher relaxation effect for the occupant, as the heat or chill effect supports the massage effect and thereby intensifies the comfort of the occupant.
In an aspect of the present invention at least two seat heating zones of a seat heater can be controlled using the control device. Thereby, it is possible for the occupant to decide at any time via the control device, which seat heating zone or seat heating zones of the at least to zones of the seat heater shall be switched on.
In a further aspect of the invention, the individual pressurizable elements can be controlled in different sequences or massage programs by means of the control device. A specific massage function—for example in a back region or in the shoulder region—can thereby for example be realized in a simple and effective manner by means of a periodic change or combined actuation of individual pressurizable elements.
According to an aspect of the invention, the individual pressurizable elements are formed as cells of a massage mat, by which punctiform changes of the contour of the seat can essentially be achieved. When the individual elements or cells are integrated into a massage mat, the assembly of the massage device within the pad of the vehicle seat is eased on the one hand. On the other hand, the position of the individual elements is thereby also fixed in a precise manner, so that particularly a sliding of a displacement can also be avoided during the massage.
By means of the punctiform changes of the contour of the seat when pressurizing the individual elements, only a relatively small region of the pad is moved or of the contour of the seat is influenced by actuating a single element. The punctiform pressurization has the advantage that the manifold of the massage functions that can be realized by the seat is increased.
In an aspect of the invention the massage mat comprises at least 18 elements or cells for at least 14 massage zones. By dividing the pad into at least 14 zones for at least 18 elements, with at least one element provided in each zone, certain back zones can for example be massaged in a targeted manner.
In another aspect of the invention, at least four preset or individually settable massage programs are provided in the control. An implementation or personally preferred massage sequences or known massage types can in particular be realized hereby, as for example a reflex zone massage with a targeted massage of individual regions of the body.
The elements can be pressurized pneumatically or electro-pneumatically. Individual elements can thereby be actuated in a simple manner. The use of air compared to a fluid with regard to possible leakage problems is thereby advantageous.
The seat heater can be formed as a carbon or flex heater. Very flexible seat heaters are thus used, which adapt to the change of the contour of the seat during the massage. Particularly, carbon heaters are very resistant against mechanical stresses as for example bending, changing or tension loads.
It is also advantageous if the pressurizable elements are formed as massage elements for massaging a vehicle occupant and at least one functional element is provided, which comprises a heating and a cooling device. The functional element can hereby optionally be operated as a heating or as a cooling device. Thereby, two devices separate from each other do not have to be provided for the cooling or heating, but one and the same heating and cooling device can be used optionally for heating or for cooling. This simplifies the technical installation effort of the functional element, whereby the vehicle seat enables a cooling or heating in a simplified manner.
By means of the cooperation of heat, or particularly a chill acting for a short time, with the pressure provided by the massage element, a particularly comforting, relaxing effect can be achieved for the vehicle occupant. Analogously to a hot treatment (hot stone therapy) or cold stone treatment (cold stone therapy), the introduction of heat into deeper body zones of the vehicle occupant can lead to a state of deep relaxation and an increased well-being. The local chilling of the body of the vehicle occupant supports the blood circulation and the lymph flow in a comfortable manner. Typical heat application areas can hereby be back pain and/or muscle and joint pain. Typical chill applications can be present with headaches, sprains and/or muscle strains with inflammatory occurrence. A change from cold to warm can particularly act against chronic hardenings and/or tensions.
The switchover of the at least one functional element from the heating operation to the cooling operation and vice versa can take place in a particularly simple manner, if the at least one functional element is formed as a Peltier element. Such a Peltier element has a warm side due to applying an electrical voltage and a cold side. By reversal of the current direction, the warm side can then be use as a cold side and the cold side be used as a warm side. The switchover between cooling and heating can thus take place in a particularly quick manner.
The functional element can be arranged in a region of the vehicle seat pressurized by the at least one massage element. Thus, not only heat or chill can be provided locally, but the provision of chill or heat can be coupled locally to the pressure provided by the massage element and a cold or a warm pressure point can thus be provided optionally. A temporal coupling of pressure and heat or pressure and chill with alternating heat and chill can also be provided. Particularly, increasing or decreasing pressure can accompany increasing or decreasing heat or optionally chill. The increase and the decrease of the thermal effect and of the pressure can take place in the opposite direction, at least at times.
Because the heat or chill can be provided by the functional element that can optionally be operated as the heating device or as the cooling device, the entire vehicle seat does not have to be heated or chilled, whereby a high energy efficiency can be achieved. The heat or the chill can hereby particularly be provided only in the region of the massage elements.
The massage elements arranged in the rear partial region of the backrest are designed to pressurize ischium bumps, that is, the lower, thickened regions of the ischium of a vehicle occupant. If the massage elements are thus filled with a pneumatic or hydraulic medium, the ischium bumps are lifted.
Compared to this, the massage elements arranged in the lower partial region of the backrest are formed to pressurize the two ilia of the pelvis of the vehicle occupant with a pressure directed to the front.